Interactive electronic device

Abstract

A method for operating an electronic device includes detecting a condition associated with the electronic device that affects a performance of an operation by the electronic device; and transmitting a condition report to a remote electronic device, the condition report including a request to perform the operation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of operating an electronic device, comprising: 
 detecting a condition associated with the electronic device that affects a performance of an operation by the electronic device; and    transmitting a condition report to a remote electronic device, the condition report including a request to perform the operation.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the condition report includes a device identification, a report type identification, a condition identification, and an operation identification.  
     
     
         3 . A method of operating an electronic device system including a plurality of electronic devices, the method comprising: 
 detecting a condition associated with a first electronic device that affects a performance of an operation by the first electronic device; and    transmitting a first condition report to a second electronic device by the first device, the first condition report including a request to perform the operation.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 performing the requested operation at the second device.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising; 
 determining whether or not the second device is suitable for performing the requested operation; and    transmitting a second condition report to a third electronic device if it is determined that the second device is not suitable for performing the requested operation.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 performing the requested operation at the third device.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the condition that affects the performance of the operation by the first electronic device is a condition that prevents the first device from performing the operation.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the condition that affects the performance of the operation by the first electronic device is a condition that delays the performance of the operation by the first device.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first condition report is transmitted to the plurality of electronic devices.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of remote devices respond that the responding remote device can perform the requested operation.  
     
     
         11 . A method of operating an electronic device, comprising: 
 detecting an error condition associated with the electronic device that prevents the electronic device from performing an operation; and    transmitting a condition report to a remote electronic device, the first condition report requesting the remote device to perform the operation.    
     
     
         12 . An electronic device, comprising: 
 a processor to control an operation of the electronic device;    a sensor to detect a condition associated with the electronic device;    a communication interface to communicate with a remote device; and    a first memory to store computer readable instructions, the memory including code for transmitting a condition report to a remote electronic device if the sensor detects a condition associated with the electronic device that affects a performance of an operation by the electronic device, the condition report including a request to another device to perform the operation.    
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the first memory is a storage device, further including code for performing the requested operation at the second device.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , the first memory further includes: 
 code for determining whether or not the second device is suitable for performing the requested operation; and    code for transmitting a second condition report to a third electronic device if it is determined that the second device is not suitable for performing the requested operation.    
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , the first memory further includes code for performing the requested operation at the third device.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a second memory configured to select countermeasure information according to the condition associated with the electronic device.    
     
     
         17 . An electronic device, comprising: 
 a processor to control an operation of the electronic device;    a sensor to detect a condition associated with the electronic device;    a communication interface to communicate with a remote device;    a first memory to store machine readable instructions, the memory including code for transmitting a condition report to a remote electronic device if the sensor detects a condition associated with the electronic device that affects a performance of an operation by the electronic device, the condition report including a request to another device to perform the operation; and    a second memory configured to select countermeasure information according to the condition associated with the electronic device.    
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the device is one selected from the group consisting of, a video recording device, an audio recording device, a television, a video display device, an audio playback device, and a set-top box.  
     
     
         19 . A machine readable medium for operating an electronic device provided in a network system including a plurality of electronic devices, the medium comprising: 
 code for detecting a condition associated with a first electronic device that affects a performance of an operation by the first electronic device; and    code for transmitting a first condition report to a second electronic device by the first device, the first condition report including a request to perform the operation.